Mercurial Dutch driver Nina Gademan has joined her home team MP Motorsport for a second full F1 Academy campaign in 2026. Having concluded her rookie season as one of the best rookies in the field, the 22-year-old Alpine Academy member will be gunning for overall glory in the popular F1 Grand Prix-supporting series that champions the next generation of female motor racing talent.
Nina Gademan’s F1 Academy career started with a bang in 2024, when she became the series’ first wildcard driver to score points as she nearly hit the podium twice at her home track of Zandvoort. A strong first full season followed in 2025, resulting in her first victory at Zandvoort. She backed up her win with two more podiums at Montreal, another one in the final round at Las Vegas and a long string of points finishes to end up sixth overall in the final standings as the third best rookie of the season. Gademan is the first driver to be confirmed for MP’s 2026 F1 Academy line-up, with two more announcements to follow soon.
“I’m really happy to be part of the MP Motorsport family for next year”, said Gademan. “They have been strong performers in F1 Academy from the start, and it’s always an advantage to race with your home team. With the experience and circuit knowledge that I gained this year, I feel that I am ready to challenge for more wins and the title in 2026. The team and I aim to use the winter ahead to fully prepare ourselves for the season kick-off at Shanghai in March, when I hope you will see me fighting right at the front.”
“We’re all excited to welcome Nina into the MP Motorsport fold for our 2026 F1 Academy line-up”, said Sander Dorsman, MP Motorsport’s team principal. “She has been an incredible force in F1 Academy from the first moment she stepped into that wildcard seat, and proved to be one of our strongest rivals in this year’s series. I’m happy that she’s on our side from now! For us as a Dutch team, it always makes sense to sign a Dutch driver, but in this case we are exceptionally pleased to team up with Nina. I’m confident that she will be fighting for more wins next year in what promises to be another strong F1 Academy season for us.”
Leading up to her promotion to F1 Academy, Gademan was chosen as a finalist for the 2019 FIA Girls On Track karting shootout at Le Mans before being selected as one of six drivers for the European Girls on Track team. Progressing to single-seaters in 2024, Gademan made her car racing debut in the British F4 Championship, where she earned her first rookie podium at Thruxton. Her part programme in the 2025 Formula Winter Series that preceded her first regular F1 Academy season subsequently netted her a pair of points finishes. Gademan is also a content creator with F1 Esports and Veloce Esports.
